HISD hosts anti-bullying festival

HOUSTON The issue has the Houston Independent School District on alert, and the district is determined to spread awareness about the issue. That's why there was an anti-bullying festival today at Jackson Middle School in southeast Houston.

The principal of Jackson Middle School said the ant-bullying awareness festival is a way of tackling bullying head on. But not just in the school itself, they want to make sure that the entire community gets the message.

This festival involved students here, but also faculty members, parents and people from the community. It included training on what bullying is, what it looks like and also how to recognize if you are the victim or the bully.

Anti-bullying programs like this are in response to several high-profile bullying incidents nationwide in which students have committed suicide.

/*Asher Brown*/, 13, a middle schooler in Cy-Fair ISD killed himself in September after his parents say he was bullied about his religion and sexual orientation.

Jackson's principal says it's important that parents students and the community knows about awareness but also about intervention and that is what will happen here today.

The anti-bullying awareness festival was held from noon to 3pm at Jackson Middle School at 5100 Polk. Educational and motivational guest speakers were there to talk to the crowd. The festival also offered training sessions on bullying and anti-violence.

Parents and kids were given bracelets and t-shirts to show their support for the anti-bullying campaign.